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Well, there is also a cohort that wants to exit to IR / corporate / other stuff.
I’d guess 70%+ among associates, probably the opposite among analysts. Most of the analysts I’ve worked with are pretty comfortable retiring in their current role. Most of the associates are looking to jump ship asap
SS ER is a pretty decent job
It’s still a good job for the lead analysts with decent rankings and in their 40’s and 50’s, but for them the longer term trends of lower SS comp isn’t an issue because they’ll be retired before things really head south. If you’re a 24 y/o research associate and you’ve still got your whole career ahead of you — those longer term trends are going to be a bit more of a concern for you.
Plus, in my anecdotal experience the timeframe to move to the buyside is probably when u have 2-5 years experience on the SS - any less and you’re useless to the PM but any more and you’re too expensive/ too experienced to mould into their way of doing things. So a “now or never” feeling may start to dawn on you when you get to your third and fourth year and have to make a call.
All in all I still think SS ER at a good shop is still one of the best jobs post UG (along with IB, with a bit less pay but a lot less bullshit in my view) for opening up doors, especially to top HFs/LOs, but you have to be realistic about where things on the SS will be 30 years from now if you think this is going to be your whole career.
This is so well-said that I will steal this as my talking points. Thanks.
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